Public Safety - Village & Town of Somers, WI

Public Safety Referendum Question on April Ballot

On April 7, 2026 ballots, Somers voters will be asked whether they support a permanent $1,300,000 increase in the property tax levy to help fund eight additional full-time Firefighter / Paramedics and improve services.

The need for additional Fire and Paramedic Staff has been underscored by a third-party staffing study conducted in January 2025, and is outlined in the Public Safety Options Assessment report presented to the Village in September 2025.

High Emergency Call Volume, Critical Need For Increased Staffing

The need for additional full-time Firefighter/Paramedics comes after years of increasing calls for service, particularly calls for emergency medical services.

Somers has seen a significant increase in calls for service. In 2025, the Somers Fire Department responded to 1,778 calls – a record high – and received overlapping calls for service 728 times.

Currently, the Fire Department can only guarantee operation of two ambulances at any given time. Not all staff are paramedics, so patients can only sometimes receive the highest-quality, timely service.

By adding eight full-time, fully trained Firefighter/Paramedics, the Department can assign additional staff to each shift, guarantee paramedic-level service and guarantee the deployment of all three ambulances at once to meet growing community needs.

Requirement to Maintain Staffing Levels After Boost From Federal Grant

Recognizing its need for additional Firefighter/Paramedics, the Village applied for and received the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant.

For three years, that grant will partially fund the eight additional positions needed, and the Village is required to cover the remaining costs.

75 percent federal / 25 percent local: From June 2026 through June 2028, the grant will cover 75 percent of costs for eight additional full-time Firefighter/Paramedics.
35 percent federal / 65 percent local: From June 2028 to June 2029, the grant will cover 35 percent of costs for eight additional full-time Firefighter/Paramedics.
100 percent local: After June 3, 2029, the Village is responsible for all costs to maintain the eight additional full-time Firefighter/Paramedics.

Impact of “Yes” Vote
If the referendum is approved, the Village of Somers would be able to increase the property tax levy by $1,300,000 to meet this federal requirement, cover the costs of equipment and related operational expenses and fund the additional staff long-term.

Annual Village property taxes would increase starting with bills issued in December 2026. This would result in an estimated $115 property tax increase per $100,000 in assessed property value.* The average Somers home with an assessed value* of $355,000 is estimated to see a property tax increase of approximately $405.

*NOTE: A property’s assessed value is used to calculate property taxes. The same property’s “fair market” value may differ from its assessment, and assessments are subject to change year to year. Additional information about assessments is linked here.

Impact of “No” Vote
If the referendum is rejected by a majority of voters, the Village would not be able to increase the property tax levy to fund the additional Firefighter/Paramedic positions.

Trustees would need to make a decision about how to fund its portion of costs for the duration of the SAFER grant, potentially pulling funding from reserves or borrowing.

Without additional revenue, the Village would not have long-term funding to maintain the eight additional full-time Firefighter/Paramedics, and would likely experience additional strain as the community continues to grow.

Village to Host Public Information Sessions

The Village will host three public information sessions for residents to learn more about the referendum and ask questions of local officials. Sessions will be held on the following dates:

Thursday, March 5, 5:30 p.m. at Village Hall
Saturday, March 28, 2:30 p.m. at Village Hall
Tuesday, March 31, 5:30 p.m. at Village Hall

A recorded information session presentation will be available online for those who cannot attend in person.

Resources

Note: The 2025 Options Assessment and Community Survey reviewed calls for service data from 2017 to 2024. That data included an error. Based on updated and expanded data, we see that calls for service have increased approximately 89 percent between 2015 and 2025.

VOTE APRIL 7

EARLY VOTING
In-person early voting will take place at Village Hall (7511 12th St.) on weekdays March 24 – April 3 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
On the final day of in-person early voting (Friday, April 3), early voting hours are extended to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Note: The final day of in-person early voting (Friday, April 3) is Good Friday. Village Hall will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
Deadline for regular or overseas voters to request an absentee ballot online, by fax or by mail: Thursday, April 2 at 5 p.m.
ELECTION DAY
Polling places will be open on Election Day (Tuesday, April 7) from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wisconsin voters are required to show an acceptable photo ID to vote.

Additional Information

For more information you can call or email:

Somers Fire Chief, Ben Andersen at:
bandersen@somerswi.gov
262-859-2277

Village Administrator, Jim Hurley:
jhurley@somerswi.gov
262-859-2822